What a great website. Thanks Rebecca for making it possible for us to share our experiences and thoughts on this subject. I didn’t know there were others like me (ha ha) as it seems none of the people in my surroundings have experienced lucid dreaming, or maybe I am just talking to the wrong people about it.

Apparently I have had lucid dreams as long as I can remember, not that frequently as a kid and not too often growing up either but now, quite a few from time to time but they are always very short. It is not until recently though that I found out that this is what it is.

It is amazing to become lucid during a dream, especially if it is uncomfortable. When I came into my teens I realized I could make myself wake up from a bad dream by saying, “wake up wake up”. Only once did I confront what was scary, instead of making myself wake up (avoiding what scares me). This probably resembles things in my life so I definitely will try the confronting more as it is probably more healthy for you, to find out that it is not that scary. As I’ve grown older though it has become more difficult trying to wake up from a nightmare by saying, “wake up wake up”. Sometimes it takes very long and other times I just simply go on to another dream, scary or not...

What I wanted to bring up is that for one (my main question):I sometimes get “stuck” in dreams (at least that’s how I sense the situation is). So I’m lucid, aware that I am dreaming, having this feeling I can’t wake up from this dream yet, and for some reason I crave to get out of it. The dream can be scary (like mentioned above), or not at all, but I guess there must be some element that scares me that I’m not paying attention to in the dream, or why else would I feel the urge to wake up? And why can’t I? Am I too exhausted, is that it? Because there are periods when my sleeping patterns are totally messed up (not good at all). Is it possible that I'm simply dreaming that I am lucid, but am not really? Once, I even tried killing myself by throwing myself down the stairs as I was desperate to wake up (SO Inception I know). Is there something wrong with me for doing that in my dream, knowing it is dream too? I am definitely not suicidal. What do you guys think about this?

The second thing I have questions about is when I have a pleasant lucid dream it only lasts a minute or two, then I either wake up or "forget" that I'm dreaming and therefore is not lucid anymore. But that's pretty normal right? To be lucid for a moment and then not? How do I stay aware longer? Am I not relaxed enough?

I read the tips on how rubbing your hands can keep you lucid for longer and two nights ago I had the chance to try this. I did a reality check and became lucid but at the same time I had this feeling I was gonna wake up soon (for some reason) and therefore I rubbed my hands. And I felt the warmth in between them, it was so real and I realized it is working! The feeling of me waking up soon was gone and I am still dreaming. I went on in my dream and shortly after that though I forgot I was dreaming and woke up pretty soon- frustrated for not being able to stay aware in the dream. Also, WHY, after waking up from this dream (where I rubbed my hands) do I ask myself: Was I really lucid or did I just dream that I was lucid? Which again, is my main question.

Thanks so much for reading this super long post! I appreciate all opinions on this

It is indeed possible to dream that you are lucid. You can also dream that you are dreaming that you are lucid, etc. Combined with repeated false awakenings, this means some nights can get very confusing!

torakrubik wrote:It is indeed possible to dream that you are lucid. You can also dream that you are dreaming that you are lucid, etc. Combined with repeated false awakenings, this means some nights can get very confusing!

So then how do you tell the difference between a lucid dream and a dream of becoming lucid?

Roxas: Did you have fun chatting with the ghosts?Sora: You shouldn't call them "ghosts". Sure something seemed a little off but I'm sure they're still my friends

torakrubik wrote:It is indeed possible to dream that you are lucid. You can also dream that you are dreaming that you are lucid, etc. Combined with repeated false awakenings, this means some nights can get very confusing!

Quite often, you can't tell the difference. It is only after you have awoken that you can define which you had experienced. If you could tell in the dream, then by default you would be lucid dreaming as the thought would have occurred to you.

Yeah, you pretty much just know when you wake up. You'll know if you are actually lucid. I've had several dreams where I have been dreaming that I was lucid dreaming, or dreaming of dreaming that I was lucid dreaming. Its not the same. You are dreaming about having control over a dream, but you consciously don't have control. Its still just like observing a dream in which you think you have control, rather than actually being conscious and aware of the dreamworld. Hard to explain, easy to differentiate after you wake up.

I have had this problem.And I still do find myself in them.I'll try and wake up - but I just can't. And these where indeed in Lucid dreams.I have once had to smash my body into the ground to wake up - this one was a nightmare that i wanted to escape.

And I have had to force myself to vomit or something stupid, because nothing else (slapping myself on the face, pinching) would not snap me out of it. And I knew I was in my bed, safe. I just sometimes can't get out. And it is very scary when it does happen. Fearing I won't be able to escape the dream. Even though I was Lucid, because I was already freaking out I was in no state to try and get myself to another place or fly away.

Robert Wagonner described this happening once. He had a number of false awakenings. Each time he "woke" there was something different about his room (curtains, bedside table, lamp etc) so he woke to a different reality. After it happened a few times in a row, he panicked. But then he relaxed and decided that whatever reality he woke in next he would accept. He then woke normally. So maybe it was the relaxing and letting go that helped rather than fighting to get out.

This reminded me of a recurring dream I used to have when I was around 10 years old. Now that I think back on I was definately Lucid in the dream because I always knew I was dreaming again.Funny Id almost completely forgotten about it untill I read this. I didnt even realize I was lucid dreaming then either. It always involved me being alone in any army base in the jungle (lol) I was always alone and no matter where I ran I couldnt find another person or even an animal for that matter. It really scared me as a kid. I always had a fear of being completely alone and this dream played that fear out. Everynight before I went to bed I would think about it because I was so scared id have it again. Eventually though I figured out that if I calmed down I could basically force my eyes open and wake myself up. Im glad it happened because now I know I can wake myself if im ever in a situation where I dont want to continue a dream, but before I figured it out I was literally stuck in the dream.

~Only those who have dared to let go... can dare to reenter~-Meister Eckhart